Finland has completed the first 35 km (22 miles) of a 4.5-metre (15-ft) high fence it is building on its closed eastern border with Russia to stop migrants from crossing via the wilderness, the Finnish Border Guard said on Wednesday.

Finland is "closely monitoring and assessing Russia’s activities and intentions" near the Finnish border, the country's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told AFP on May 22. The comments come after reports that Finland expects a Russian military build-up on its borders after the war in Ukraine ends.

Finland is closely monitoring Russia's growing military presence along their shared border, as tensions in the region continue to rise. Major General Sami Nurmi, head of strategy for the Finnish Defence Forces,